Destination Truth: Of all the Nights
by Spidershearth
Summary: Returning to Africa with a new sighting of the Nandi Bear, Josh and his team find themselves in the most dangerous investigation ever. Love blossoms, death lurks, and only time will tell if they can survive the night. I do not own Destination Truth or any of the characters there in. Enjoy
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

Children were screaming, woman cried, and men shouted calls of war. Josh had fallen out of his cot at the first sound of terror and had nearly dragged Ryder with him. She rolled over to find him, but he was already on his feet. Josh threw his shirt over his shoulders as he turned back to her; the wind from the fabric caught her in the cheek as he kneeled down to her.

"Stay here." Josh kissed her gently and bolted out of the hut.

The screams were deafening; she could barely hear herself think. What the hell was going on? Ryder got up to find her cloths and the rest of the team, but as she stood up there was a faint but heavy sound of foot steps coming from behind the paper thin walls of the hut.

There was a low growl, steady breathing, and the scraping echo of claws on the gravel. Ryder didn't want to move for fear of attracting the attention of whatever might be lurking nearby.

The creature sniffed the air; it was on the trail of something living. It was hungry and Ryder could hear the saliva falling from it's fangs and bouncing off the dirt when it stopped mid-stride, she knew it was too late. The creature let out a blood curdling howl.

Outside Josh had already found David and Richie, Richie's hands were caked in blood trying to save one of the villagers who seemed to have his throat ripped open. David was trying to tell the rest of the villagers to stay in their huts when he saw Josh.

"David! What's happening?"

"David was as white as a sheet trembling from head to toe. "It's here, Josh! I saw it with my own two eyes! We Have to Get Out of Here!"

Josh grabbed David by the shoulders and tried to calm him down. "David. What. Did. You. See?"

"The Nandi Bear."

"JOSH!", Josh almost broke his neck turning toward the sound. His heart sank as he recognized Ryder's silhouette against the village fire. She was running from something so big that it almost blotted out the blaze behind her.

"ERIN!"


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

It hadn't taken the team long to decide to hop on the next flight to Africa. With a new sighting of the Nandi Bear, how could they resist.

The flight was just as long as ever but Josh found a way to entertain himself. Pouring over previous sightings and familiarizing himself with old eye witness testimony. The old familiar 'Bing' of the "It's ok to take you electronics out to play with on the plane now" went off just above Josh's head.

"Josh, Here." Ryder flopped into the seat next to him, unaware that she had sat on top of some of his papers. Josh looked up from the documents in his hands and found that Ryder had rested a portable DVD player on his lap.

"It's a report of a local news crew about the sighting."

Seeing the report just made his blood rush; Josh just couldn't get to Africa fast enough.

"Is this the only news report we have?", Josh asked.

"Yeah. I wish I had more, but it was the only one that came in clear enough. I'm sorry Boss, I failed you." Ryder joked in her best impression of a super hero's side kick voice.

That always made Josh laugh. "Don't let it happen again." he grumbled as he shook his finger at her trying to look serious.

After a few minutes of chatting about the sighting, they focused again on the documents. Ryder and Josh eventually fell a sleep along with the rest of the team. It wouldn't be long before the red sunrise of Africa welcomed them back.

When the team landed they head straight for baggage claim. Josh couldn't believe it, but the first time in DT history all of their equipment managed to be collected without a single minute of frustrated waiting.

If Josh hadn't thought this was a stroke of luck, he would have thought that this trip wasn't going to be like the many others before it. Little did he know this trip would be one he would NEVER Forget.

Even the vehicle they acquired was better equipped this time. With the show bringing in the bigger ratings with every new episode, the producers were more willing to throw more funding into their expeditions.

Happy to have their new car, the team loaded all the boxes in the back and jumped into their seats. Josh at the wheel and Ryder with the map in the passengers seat; they hit the road into the wilds of Africa.

After several hours of driving, Ryder gasped.

"Josh! There's a village coming up in about 8 miles! We need to stop at the local market!"

"No, because when we stop we loose time." he snorted.

"But it's fun and their might be some people who can tell us about the new Nandi Bear sighting." Ryder teased.

Josh paused moment; Ryder knew exactly how to manipulate his love of the cryptic. "Who wants to stop at the local market?"

"ME!", the whole car shouted in unison.

Josh looked over at Ryder, "Oh you're good, lady."

Ryder mockingly batted her eyes at him; he just rolled his and smiled. He just couldn't believe how powerless he was against those puppies. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't resist those eyes.

The small market place was bustling with big action. The fresh African air flowed through the tents and the people; it was like being greeted by an old friend and Josh wouldn't want it any other way. The Sun, although viciously bright, brought life into everything below it. Josh could have taken in the peaceful beauty of the market forever; but he had a case to solve. For moment it was hard to fall away from his daydreaming, but he focused a game plan in a matter of nano seconds.

"Alright team, our job here is to get some interviews, maybe some eyewitness accounts, and maybe to find the strangest thing in the market place.", Josh couldn't help but instill a sense of playful competition into this friends "And...GO!"

The team scattered and began their hunt. Josh and Ryder stood their chuckling; the team looked like Ping-Pong balls bouncing off the market tents.

"I'll never get tired of that." Ryder whipped the sweat from her brow and onto her pants.

Josh looked at her with a laugh still in his throat, "I bet I find the cannibal fork before you do."

Ryder poked him in the chest, "You're on."

And with that they raced through the market like five year old kids. Josh grabbed the back of Ryder's tank top in a sad attempt to slow her own; but as small as she looked she was able to pull Josh a couple of feet before he let go. Josh realized his little tricks could do nothing to stop the force that was Ryder, which meant he had to work twice as hard to beat her at this game. But even if he didn't win, he'd find someway to best her...in a friendly way of course.

In the end Ryder found the fork while Josh came back with a fake shrunken head.

"I win!" Ryder waved the fork in the air as she made her way towards him with the biggest smile on her face.

"Man, Ryder.", pretending to be disappointed, Josh put his hands on his hips, "I guess I can't win against your superb scavenger hunting skills. I guess it's time for you're winnings."

"But we didn't bet on anything."her smile faded, Josh was up to some odd trick and she knew it.

"It's a surprise." He walked behind her and covered her eyes, "Trust me."

"Josh, too many sentences have started with 'Trust me' and you always get us into trouble." Ryder could do nothing but trust her friend and wave her hands back and forth in front of her hoping that Josh didn't walk her into the back end of an elephant.

Josh walked her steadily through the market and all she could hear were the snickering of her team mates behind them. Josh was up to something and she wound up on the business end of it; how she'll never know. Ryder had come to learn that working with Josh was always a surprise and never easy.

Slowly they came to a stop.

"Ladies, could we have your lovely assistance? My friend he is in dire need." Ryder could hear Josh getting her into more trouble. Josh lifted his hands and she couldn't believe where she was standing.

Josh must have found this little seamstress tent while "looking" for the fork. It was covered with bright reds, greens, yellows, and oranges; all which were used to make all kinds of dresses and gowns for the woman of the local village.

Before Ryder could object four little ladies collected her from the team.

"Josh!" Ryder shouted in protest.

"Have fun Ryder! Don't worry you're in good hands, I think.",Josh waved to her as she vanished behind a red curtain for her fitting.

"Alright, team, who's up for some beer?" Josh raised his hand in example and the rest of the team followed suit. They marched to a hut, that passed as a pub, across from the seamstress tent and waited for the big reveal.


	3. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

Although Ryder was the one who got tricked, Josh would be the one who wouldn't recover.

Josh had just downed the last drops of his beer when he heard the team giving wolf whistles to a woman across the way. Josh looked up; his eyes had to adjust to the sun bouncing off a bright red and yellow piece of fabric that swam between a sea of people.

"Lookin' steamy, Ryder!" Kyle teased as he led the group to meet her, "Can you believe this, Josh? Ryder, finally in a dress, someone pinch me. Ow!" Katy pinched him, not to humor him, but to just shut him up.

Josh caught a breath in his chest. She was glowing; it stunned his heart and stopped the blood in his lungs. This was not the woman who trudged through dust and dirt with him. Certainly not the woman who suffered blistering jungles and frosted landscapes.

Her faint smile was filled with innocent bliss and slight embarrassment, but she carried it well. The fabric seemed to dance for her; it seemed as if those colors were made especially for her and only her.

Josh hadn't noticed that he had begun to walk over, trailing at the back of the team. The group parted; for a moment time slowed. Josh felt like he was walking through Jello making each step feel like an eternity.

Ryder smiled and lifted her eyes towards his. "So what do you think?", she gave a little twirl on her toes.

"Erin, you. ... Stunning, absolutely stunning.", Josh could feel the blood rushing into his cheeks.

"Erin? You never use my first name unless you're being serious." She tried to read his thoughts, but their was a haze in his eyes that she had never seen before. For the first time, Ryder had no idea what was going through Josh's ever buzzing mind.

"Well...", Josh found it hard to reply to her.

The team watched them for a few seconds; waiting for the two of them to realize what they had all known all along. Then Josh retreated back into his usual humor and the moment was lost.

"Well since we're finished playing dress up, lets find some people to interview!", Josh gave Ryder the old smack on the shoulder and walked past her dragging Richie and Kyle with him.

Ryder wasn't sure what to think. She stood there for several seconds when Katy brushed her shoulder.

"You look great, Ryder. Josh is just an idiot." Katy offered her friend a comforting hug.

"Thanks, Katy." Ryder wasn't sure what had unfolded within the few minutes they all stood there. All she knew was that there was a drumming thump in her chest and a rattling of gears in her head; all the while trying to put together the equation.

Could she have been so naive? How could she not have known? Was Josh feeling the same thing? Or was she alone in that too?

Walking behind Katy she stopped; the truth had struck her instantaneously. She loved Josh Gates. For the first time the truth scared her, but it was the truth in Josh's own heart that terrified her the most.


	4. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 3_**

The drive to the village where the latest Nandi bear sighting was length full. Everyone had fallen asleep in the car, except for Josh and Kyle. Not much was being said for the simple fact that Josh didn't want to wake everyone. Kyle was wrestling with the map and was fighting a losing battle trying to fold it into a smaller and more manageable size. The crinkling of the paper was about to drive Josh crazy. He was about to rip the map out of Kyle's hands and toss it out the window, but he was driving and he didn't want to run their jeep into a ditch.

"Enough, Kyle. Even if you managed to figure it out I'd just need you to open it up again. Plus that sound isn't making the car any quieter.", Josh reached over and pushed the map down into Kyle's lap.

"My bad.", Kyle was simply happy that Josh gave him the go ahead to give up. But now without the map to distract him, Kyle was like a kid with ADD, and there would be no ritalin readily available in the middle of Africa. So Kyle's mind decided to talk about the elephant in the room...or in this case the car.

"Josh, how come you've never told Ryder how you feel about her?", Kyle braced himself.

Josh almost slammed on the breaks, instead he looked behind him to make sure Ryder was asleep, then proceeded to give Kyle a punch in the shoulder.

"WHAT!?", Josh whispered.

"Come on, man. How could we not know?"

"_WE?!_" Josh's eyes widened.

"Yeah, you know; Me, Katy, Richie, Dav-"

"Does Ryder know?!" Josh prayed and hoped she didn't.

"I don't think so, she might now considering what happened in the market."

"Wait what happened in the market?", Josh couldn't have been more confused.

"Oh come on, Josh. We all saw how you were looking at her. After she came out of the seamstress tent, how could you NOT notice her. She was HOT! I mean if you aren't going to take her, I will. ", Kyle teased as Josh punched him in the shoulder with an intent to bruise.

"Shut up! Don't talk about her like that. Don't make me pull this car over and kick you're ass."

"You see, you do love her. So what's the problem, Josh?", Kyle rubbed his shoulder trying to get feeling back into his left arm again. Next time he'll know better then to piss off Josh.

What was the problem? Josh couldn't figure out why he was trying so desperately to keep his feelings buried. He had true feelings for Ryder, he adored everything about her. She had gone to the ends of the earth with him. Endured the elements and explored the unknown; and she had never once complained. She walked every step behind him without caring about what might be lurking ahead. No matter what happened he knew he could always count on her.

Kyle could see that Josh was struggling with his feelings and the reason why he had refused to express them. Kyle placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and patted him lightly.

"It's alright, Josh. I know sometimes it can be hard; especially since you two are such good friends."

"I just... I don't want to lose her." Josh's voice quaked.

They both paused. Letting those words sink into the moment like quicksand in their chest.

"Well no matter what happens, you've always got the team."

Josh smiled, "Yeah, and by the looks of it, I'm screwed."

Kyle threw his head back in a laugh.

Josh looked into his rear view mirror and found Ryder sound asleep against one of the windows. He smiled and considered himself lucky to have her on his team. He hated thinking about what the team would be without her. Out of the many things he wouldn't admit; he would gladly say out loud that she was the best thing to ever happen to the team. She had made him a better man, whether she knew it or not.

Ryder Stretched her legs and tossed her arms into the air as soon as she jumped out of the car. Her back cracked in a couple places as she settled back into her bones. Katy hopped out behind her and soon after Tristant crawled out; with a few cracking bones of his own.

Josh tried to wake Richie and David with a twig he found beside the car; repeatedly poking them in the cheeks to no avail. When they refused to move, Josh opened the door that Richie was leaning against and the guys tumbled out

"Now that you boys and the African ground are better acquainted, lets find a bear!", Josh left the guys to untangle in the dirt as he headed to unload the trunk.

As Josh reached for the handle, he bumped into Ryder's own hand. A small shock jolted through their fingers due to the friction from the car seats.

"Ow!", Ryder jumped. "Oh sorry Josh."

"No, my fault, sorry.", Josh shook his hand to ware off the shock.

The two stood there for some seconds staring at the ground, too embarrassed to look at each other. Not from the shock of course, but the events of the day were still fresh in their minds. They both gave a fake laugh and kicked the dirt.

"Ryder, listen." Josh started, "In the market, I-"

"Josh! Check it out.", Tristant pointed out toward the horizon, the setting sun was gorgeous and bright, but that wasn't what caught his attention. In the distance a group of shadows was charging towards them.

Josh and the team squinted their eyes to make out the shapes and Katy was the first to recognize them.

"It's the kids!", Katy waved her hands to them as the sounds of their laughter was rolling over the African plains. It had been sometime since the team had been out to this village, but the children remembered them.

"Now that's a 'Welcome Comity'." Josh waved to the kids as he shielded his eyes from the sun.

The kids finally reached them at the car and began to herd them into the village. Several of the kids swarmed Ryder, pulling her by her shorts and arms. Josh had a few on his back as two coiled themselves around his ankles. The kids were even kind enough to help David and Tristant with the equipment. Richie and Katy listened intently as some of the kids were telling them the happenings of the village since they've been gone.

As they reached the edge of the village, the sun had nearly ducked down behind the horizon, and one by one the stars began to light up the pure night sky of the savannah.


	5. Chapter 4

**_Chapter 4_**

As the sun said 'goodbye' to the African savannah, the team gathered around the village fire pit. Josh and Ryder listened as the chief described his account of the Nandi Bear and the fear his felt for his people. He explained his plans to keep the bear at bay by praying to their ancestors and dancing to create noise that would keep the bear away; the fire beside them was Step One.

"We will keep this flame burning for our ancestors. We pray to them for protection and dance in their honor.", The chief stood up from his seat with is arms open up to the sky. He stepped towards the flame and threw a collection of powers and herbs into the pit. He began to pray for his village and soon his people joined him. A slow rolling of drums was picking up throughout the circle as the woman jingled bells along their ankles. Soon the air was filled with music; Josh found himself tapping his foot to the beat and before he knew it the whole team had been pulled in for the dance.

Ryder could feel the drum in her chest and the jingling of the bells in her toes. She allowed herself to be lost in the rhythm and wander through her hazy thoughts. Josh was learning a few steps from the men of the village when he noticed Ryder dancing with her eyes closed. It filled him with a sense of want. He wanted so badly to dance beside her, to take her in his arms and move her with the passion that suffocated inside his own heart.

Ryder had nearly exhausted herself thinking about the day and what had happened to play out. This dance was what she needed to revisit what she could barely comprehend. She delved so deep that she almost failed to hear the music dying down. As she opened her eyes, she had seen the fire still burning and most of the team had passed out around it. Before she could make her way towards the pit, someone clasped her hand and pulled her into the shadows of an empty grass hut.

It was Josh; he placed his finger on her lips to keep her hushed. The light from the fire bounced off his smile. Ryder had never seen Josh's eyes look so gentle. Ryder leaned back against the fragile walls of the hut and tried to figure out the man she had spent so much time with; only to realize that she knew everything about him so why did this moment catch her by such surprise?

"Josh, what are- ", Josh kissed her softly as he cradled her head in his hands. He pulled away and caressed her cheek. There was no going back now, it was now or never... or getting slapped by the strongest woman he knew.

"Ryder, I don't know why it's taken me so long to-", Ryder kissed him before he could finish. Ryder didn't want any more interruptions, they had been deprived of this moment for so long and she didn't want to lose it again. She ran her fingers through his hair and slowly traced the bones in his back. Josh pulled her closer so he could feel the rapid heartbeat within her chest; the same beat that thumped in his own veins.

Josh picked her up and rolled into the cot with her in his arms. Ryder wrapped her legs around his waist; bringing him closer as he kissed her ear and neck. His kisses tickled her chest and her fingers teased his waist. Josh felt as if every vein in his body was about to burst. Everything in his body was screaming for him to take her and there was nothing in the world that was going to take this moment away from them. Ryder fumbled with his shirt, cursing every button that stood between her and his burning skin.

Their passion was finally free and they took advantage of every second. Rolling and tumbling in raw love as they had never felt before. It was as if they both breathed a life into each other that they never knew could exist within them. If they had known how this would feel they would have never fought it. All the struggling, all the suppression, and all the avoidance exploded as if it never existed. They had finally found what they were looking for; and it wasn't monsters or ghosts. It was the one piece of evidence that would make their feelings concrete.

Josh couldn't sleep after having her, he simply watched her. She was beautiful and nothing in this world was going to take her away from him. He brushed her hair back and kissed her lightly on the forehead as not to wake her. Josh closed his eyes to the peaceful sight of Ryder in his arms, and hoped that in the morning it wouldn't be a dream.


	6. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_**

Children were screaming, woman cried, and men shouted calls of war. Josh had fallen out of his cot at the first sound of terror and had nearly dragged Ryder with him. She rolled over to find him, but he was already on his feet. Josh threw his shirt over his shoulders as he turned back to her; the wind from the fabric caught her in the cheek as he kneeled down to her.

"Stay here." Josh kissed her gently and bolted out of the hut.

The screams were deafening; she could barely hear herself think. What the hell was going on? Ryder got up to find her cloths and the rest of the team, but as she stood up there was a faint but heavy sound of foot steps coming from behind the paper thin walls of the hut.

There was a low growl, steady breathing, and the scraping echo of claws on the gravel. Ryder didn't want to move for fear of attracting the attention of whatever might be lurking nearby.

The creature sniffed the air; it was on the trail of something living. It was hungry and Ryder could hear the saliva falling from it's fangs and bouncing off the dirt when it stopped mid-stride, she knew it was too late. The creature let out a blood curdling howl.

Outside Josh had already found David and Richie; Richie's hands were caked in blood trying to save one of the villagers who seemed to have his throat ripped open. David was trying to tell the rest of the villagers to stay in their huts when he saw Josh.

"David! What's happening?"

"David was as white as a sheet trembling from head to toe. "It's here, Josh! I saw it with my own two eyes! We Have to Get Out of Here!"

Josh grabbed David by the shoulders and tried to calm him down. "David. What. Did. You. See?"

"The Nandi Bear."

"JOSH!", Josh almost broke his neck turning toward the sound. His heart sank as he recognized Ryder's silhouette against the village fire. She was running from something so big that it almost blotted out the blaze behind her.

"ERIN!"

Josh took off towards her; and as he did he heard the shouts from the village men. Their screams were filled with rage and the pounding heat of war.

Josh's couldn't help but notice the sky, but in the dark blue sky it seemed as if long black rain was falling, but how? Josh realized that the rain was spears and arrows that the men had unleashed into the infinite sky. They were falling, falling, falling; falling straight towards Ryder and the bear.

"NO! ERIN GET OUT OF THE WAY!", Josh waved his arms as if the movement alone was going to push her to safety.

Ryder turned her head to see the weapons, she could envision each one having her name on it, calling her to death. She could only close her eyes and run harder.

Ryder could feel the wind from the bears claws; each swipe of it's paw was mere inches from her legs. The bears roar was all she heard, the breaths it took enveloped her back with steaming hot saliva.

Ryder felt a sting in her left shoulder and before she knew it, she'd landed head long into the unforgiving earth.

Josh watched in horror as she fell, he watched as the bear cried out in a violent pain. It tried to scratch out the arrows and spears in it's back. It turned toward the villagers and pawed at their feral toys. Out numbered and too wounded to fight, the bear took off into the reaches of the surrounding savannah. Some villagers continued to chase it to be sure it had gone from the village territory; although they were victorious, they village suffered the most from this supernatural behemoth.

"Erin! Erin!", Josh dropped to his knees, kicking up the dust. Ryder coughed and rolled onto her right side. Josh scooped her up and held her.

"Erin, talk to me!", Josh was in hysterics. He rocked her slowly trying to get a sound out of her.

"Was it the bear? Is it bad?", Ryder grunted. Josh took a breath. She was ok. He leaned over to see the damage. A small arrow was sticking out of her left shoulder. It must have hit her bone, if it was any where else she wouldn't have been conscience or breathing for that matter.

"It's just your shoulder, but it could have well been the bear. Too bad, I think you'd look super sexy with a bear scar.", Josh giggled. Ryder knew very well that even in a serious situation Josh could never let go of his humor.

Ryder tried not to laugh due to the pain, but failed miserably. Josh looked up into the sky and scoffed.

"What?", Ryder couldn't help but notice.

"Well , My dear, if I'm going to patch you up I very well can't do it out here without light. You pick the most horrible spots to get injured, do you know that?", He joked.

"Well come on, doc, my shoulders not going to heal itself.", Ryder struggled to laugh, but the pain couldn't be helped.

Josh picked her up and began to walk towards the huts. Ryder rested her head under his chin. She could feel his heart beat in her own chest. It was pounding out of fear; fear of the bear, fear of the arrows and spears, and most of all the fear of losing her. She placed her hand over his chest, as if her own will was going to slow and calm the storm that had erupted in his bones.

"Josh."

"Yes."

"I love you."

Josh stopped and looked for her eyes then kissed her gently. He could still feel her shaking from the whole event. He held her tighter; he didn't want her to feel that way ever again. If he had to he'd fight off hundreds of Nandi Bears to stop her from feeling an ounce of fear ever again. He wanted his arms to be her home, a place she could always feel safe in no matter what was happening. From the moment they kissed, he knew that his life was never going to be the same again.

Kyle rounded up the rest of the villagers as the sun began to rise. He looked around for Josh and found him with Ryder in his arms kissing in the rays of the early sun.

Kyle laughed and clapped his hands. The villagers turned to Kyle and witnessed the love blossoming in the new born sun. They began to cheer and whistle, all were joyous for this omen of new beginnings and prosperity for the village.

Josh and Ryder couldn't help but smile as they kissed. Blushing, Ryder waved to the villagers as Josh playfully tried to hide in Ryder's shoulder.

Kyle shook his head and chuckled under his breath, "Well it's about time."

_**The end**_


End file.
